Driving the Day

KEVIN MCCARTHY tries to rescue California for Republicans, via the L.A. Times’ Patrick McGreevy: “Republicans are on the verge of turning in at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal the [gas] tax increase. Even before they know for sure it will appear on the November ballot, the party's candidates up and down the state already are acting to direct voter anger over higher fuel prices at Democrats who boosted the levies. …

“The California Republican Party has sunk $300,000 into ‘Give Voters A Voice,’ the campaign committee seeking to qualify the repeal measure for the November ballot. Top Republicans have donated, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield giving $400,000. Another $250,000 came from Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, and hundreds of thousands more were donated by other GOP congressional candidates.” https://lat.ms/2HuW6tH

-- THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Why? Because Republicans think they can juice voter turnout if they include this measure on the ballot in November. California is very blue, but there are 14 Republicans from the Golden State in the House.

Good Thursday morning. White House Correspondents Weekend festivities kick off tonight. THE PRESIDENT is calling into “Fox and Friends” at 8 a.m. Just like the good old days.

FROM 30K FEET … The EPA administrator is going to Capitol Hill today after a raft of stories about his penchant for first-class travel, his desire to be driven around in an armored SUV with run-flat tires in Washington and his decision to rent a condo from people who peddle influence in town. …

… THE PRESIDENT’S NOMINEE to run the beleaguered VA has never managed more than a small cadre of people, and is now up for a job that involves managing the second-largest government agency, a department with 377,000 employees. He has also been accused of dishing out prescription drugs recklessly, allegedly passed out drunk at a hotel during a presidential trip, is said to have banged on a woman’s door after a night of drinking and allegedly crashed a government car after boozing at a Secret Service going-away party. Jackson has denied many of these allegations.

THE GENERAL CONSENSUS: Dr. Jackson will withdraw, which will give the president a chance to nominate a vetted candidate that the Hill can confirm. This is an election year. Republicans want the president to make things easy for them.

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SPOTTED: John Bolton and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) having dinner together last night at Capital Grille.

JARED-SUPPORTED BILL HITS A SPEED BUMP, via Heather Caygle and Elana Schor: “The House Judiciary Committee scrapped plans to vote on a prison reform proposal Wednesday, potentially dooming one of the few remaining prospects for significant bipartisan compromise this Congress.

“The last-minute postponement of the measure came as President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner visited Capitol Hill to rally support for it. But the delay also followed what multiple House sources described as a behind-the-scenes opposition campaign from two Senate heavyweights, one from each party.

PALM BEACH POST’S GEORGE BENNETT: “Trump in Palm Beach: Sheriff’s OT bill for feds $3.3 million and growing”: “Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies who help protect President Donald Trump when he visits Mar-a-Lago racked up nearly $3.3 million in overtime during presidential trips between November and early February – money that county officials expect to get back from the federal government. Congress set aside $41 million in March to reimburse local law enforcement agencies for ‘extraordinary … personnel costs’ incurred through Sept. 30 ‘for protection activities directly and demonstrably associated with any residence of the President that is designated or identified to be secured by the United States Secret Service.’” https://pbpo.st/2r2H5rZ

CHICAGO TRIBUNE -- “Chance the Rapper, Kanye West start Twitter political storms,” by Kevin Williams: “The day began with West, who issued a series of tweets ranging from one that appeared to criticize former President Barack Obama to one that many suggested showed solidarity with President Donald Trump, who then thanked West for the tweet. …

“The list of prominent black artists who unfollowed West on Twitter so far include Drake, Jaden Smith, Janelle Monae, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and The Weeknd. The storm was ongoing, and then Chance the Rapper weighed in with a defense of the performer with whom he has collaborated.” https://trib.in/2Jw5VIu

MISSION INCOMPLETE -- @JenniferJJacobs: “NEW: Macron says he thinks Trump will withdraw from the Iran nuclear accord. ‘I believe he will get rid of this deal for domestic reasons,’ Macron says. Macron urged him to stay in the deal, but suspects he was unsuccessful.”

SMART STORY … “Jackson troubles shine light on a fact of Washington life: Sleeping pills,” by Eliana Johnson, Burgess Everett, Bryan Bender and Sarah Karlin-Smith: “Ronny Jackson, the White House physician who is battling to save his nomination to be the secretary of veterans affairs, regularly handed out the sleep drug Ambien and the alertness drug Provigil to West Wing officials traveling on overseas flights. Jackson’s nomination has inadvertently exposed the widespread use of sleep and alertness drugs among government officials from the White House and State Department to the Pentagon and Congress itself.

“Allegations about Jackson’s liberal dispensation of Ambien and Provigil come at a time when opioid abuse -- some of it enabled by doctors -- has ravaged communities across the country, increasing awareness about the dangers of casual pill-popping among the public at large. But nearly a dozen current and former officials -- including some who were treated by Jackson while working in the Obama White House -- say Jackson is being unfairly labeled as a ‘candy man’ and that casual use of some prescription drugs is an established fact of life at the highest echelons of government. …

“By themselves, the charges that Jackson liberally doled out sleep drugs may not be enough to disqualify him in the eyes of lawmakers on Capitol Hill — because, they say, they use them liberally, too. ‘It does happen. I’m not one of those. I might have tried that once; it didn’t work, and I’ve never tried it again,’ said Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). ‘But people trying to avoid jet lag and go back to work and have a normal life? Sure!’” https://politi.co/2Jtxnq9

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THE DOC HAS ISSUES …

-- NYT’S NICK FANDOS: “New Allegations Emerge Against Ronny Jackson as White House Digs In”: “Dr. Ronny L. Jackson, the White House physician nominated to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, provided such ‘a large supply’ of Percocet, a prescription opioid, to a White House Military Office staff member that he threw his own medical staff ‘into a panic’ when it could not account for the missing drugs, according to a summary of questionable deeds compiled by the Democratic staff of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. A nurse on his staff said Dr. Jackson had written himself prescriptions, and when caught, he simply asked a physician assistant to provide him with the medication.” https://nyti.ms/2vNEOqi … The two-page Democratic summary https://politi.co/2Kgx5Ej

-- Fin Gomez (@finnygo): “NEW: Jackson told me and small group of reporters waiting in WH press offices that he did not know where these allegations were coming from. Said he was ‘Still moving ahead’ on his nomination. Also said he ‘did not wreck a car’ after drinking at a party.”

-- BURGESS EVERETT: “Republican support for Jackson collapses”: “For Senate Republicans, the question of the day is not if, but when, President Donald Trump pulls the plug on Ronny Jackson. GOP support for the Veterans Affairs nominee has cratered in the face of allegations of misconduct as White House physician. Jackson already faced serious doubts over his lack of management experience. At this point, it would take a miraculous comeback by Jackson to survive at least two more weeks of scrutiny and growing discomfort among Republican senators over his nomination.

“With Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) absent, the party controls 50 seats, meaning that only one Republican in opposition could derail Jackson’s nomination if Democrats unite in opposition to him. Any corroboration of whistleblower accusations -- from crashing a government car while drunk to abusing his power to prescribe pills -- will be enough to publicly sink the nomination. The nomination, said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), is ‘very unlikely’ to go forward. ... Asked how Jackson could be confirmed, he replied: “You tell me.’” https://politi.co/2vKpN8I

-- CNN’S JEFF ZELENY, JEREMY DIAMOND and KEVIN LIPTAK: “White House prepares for possible Jackson withdrawal”: “President Donald Trump is beginning to wonder aloud whether his embattled Veterans Affairs nominee should step aside ‘before things get worse’ and White House aides are now preparing for that possibility, White House officials told CNN. ... Jackson emerged late Wednesday from White House spokesman Raj Shah’s office with press secretary Sarah Sanders, Shah and deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. Jackson told reporters, ‘Look forward to talking to you guys in the next few days.’ Sanders said they were having a ‘debrief’ on the meetings on the Hill.

“The President and his aides were openly discussing the possibility that Jackson could pull his nomination, the officials said, and aides late Wednesday afternoon began preparing for a possible withdrawal -- though White House officials said the decision remains Jackson’s. Trump’s thinking on Jackson's nomination has been rapidly evolving. Earlier on Wednesday, he raised the prospect of going into the briefing room today to stick up for Jackson, simply to say he is a good guy and has his support. But several senior administration officials, including Sanders, advised him against doing so.” https://cnn.it/2JraALw

-- WAPO’S JULIET EILPERIN, BRADY DENNIS and JOSH DAWSEY: “Scott Pruitt heads to Capitol Hill as White House probes signal his shaky status”: “On the eve of critical hearings on Capitol Hill, top White House officials are intensifying efforts to document wasteful spending by Scott Pruitt as President Trump weighs whether to keep supporting his controversial [EPA] chief, senior administration officials said Wednesday. According to the officials, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney has expanded an inquiry into the nearly $43,000 soundproof phone booth Pruitt had installed in his office to cover other costly expenditures, including tickets on first-class flights and stays at boutique hotels.

“And the White House Counsel’s Office is examining allegations of unethical behavior, among them Pruitt’s decision to rent part of a Capitol Hill condo for $50 a night from a lobbyist and her husband, who had business before the agency. EPA staffers are aiding both probes, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. Those investigations signal how uncertain Pruitt’s status is within the White House.” https://wapo.st/2KeF3xK

-- ABC’S JOHN SANTUCCI and STEPHANIE EBBS: “Scott Pruitt’s prep document of ‘hot topics’ ready ahead of congressional hearings”: “A source with direct knowledge described a document to ABC News called ‘hot topics’ includes a rough draft of talking points for Pruitt as he prepares to field questions from lawmakers. Pruitt’s plan … is for the embattled agency head to say he now only flies coach when traveling compared to his costly first-class travel in the early days of his time on the job. The document also says he plans to address the high priced salary hikes for two of his closest aides that have been by his side going back to his Oklahoma days. Pruitt’s intention, per the source, is to claim he had no knowledge of the raises and pass the blame onto his staff.” https://abcn.ws/2vPL5lj

JOSH GERSTEIN: “Michael Cohen to plead 5th Amendment in Stormy Daniels suit”: “Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, indicated on Wednesday that he planned to assert his Fifth Amendment rights not to testify in connection with a pending civil lawsuit brought by a porn star that seeks to void a $130,000 “hush money” deal Cohen allegedly cut to try to suppress her story in advance of the 2016 presidential election.

“Cohen said in a declaration filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles that he planned to stay mum in that case because of a series of raids the FBI carried out at his home, office and hotel room in New York earlier this month. Executing search warrants, the agents seized a wide array of electronic devices and paper records about Cohen’s dealings.” https://politi.co/2HNsJ9l

CNN’S KAITLAN COLLINS (@kaitlancollins): “Incredibly significant line from the letter the lawyers who are representing President Trump in the Michael Cohen case filed in court today — ‘Our client will make himself available, as needed, to aid in our privilege review on his behalf...’” http://bit.ly/2JviO5v

-- WAPO’S BOB COSTA and CAROL LEONNIG: “Giuliani reopens negotiations about presidential interview with Mueller, but cautions special counsel that Trump remains resistant”: “Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s new personal lawyer dealing with the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, met with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III on Tuesday to reopen negotiations for a presidential interview, ­according to three people familiar with the talks.

“Giuliani, who joined Trump’s legal team last week, conveyed the ongoing resistance of Trump and his advisers to an interview with federal investigators, but did not rule out the possibility, the people said, adding that Giuliani pressed Mueller for clarity on when the probe is expected to end.

“In response, Mueller reiterated that he would like a chance to ask Trump questions about steps he took during the transition and early months of his administration, the people said. The special counsel emphasized, as he did in conversations in March with Trump’s team, that an interview is essential for investigators to understand Trump’s intent in making key decisions as they seek to wrap up the portion of the probe focused on potential obstruction of justice.” https://wapo.st/2Jro4a8

-- THE WSJ says Trump’s lawyers are trying to see if Mueller has “an ‘open mind’ about the Russia investigation.” https://on.wsj.com/2qZoX1W

MAGGIE HABERMAN got an interview with Rudy: “In an interview, Mr. Giuliani said that his goal in the coming days was to find out where Mr. Mueller stands, particularly as it relates to the credibility of James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director whom the president fired in April 2017. Mr. Comey has been interviewed by Mr. Mueller, and he has been deeply, personally critical of the president in his media tour promoting his new memoir.

“‘At this stage of an investigation, it’d be highly unusual to let an ordinary client testify,’ Mr. Giuliani said. However, he added, ‘This isn’t an ordinary client. This is the president of the United States.’ He said that they were trying to assess whether Mr. Mueller ‘and his staff are truly objective,’ particularly in terms of Mr. Comey. ‘Obviously, if they’ve already made up their minds, we’d be stupid to do that.’” https://nyti.ms/2vNjbWZ

POMPEO’S STATE DEPT … “Trump to Pick Paula Dobriansky for Top State Department Job, Sources Say,” by Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams: “The Trump administration plans to nominate Paula Dobriansky, a senior diplomatic official under President George W. Bush, to the top policy job at the State Department, according to three people familiar with the decision.

“Dobriansky, a former special envoy for Northern Ireland and undersecretary of state for global affairs, will replace career diplomat Thomas Shannon, who announced his retirement earlier this year ... Dobriansky [is currently] a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.” https://bloom.bg/2JrinsK

MULVANEY DISMANTLES … -- “Consumer Bureau Looks to End Public View of Complaints Database,” by NYT’s Stacy Cowley: “Financial companies have worked to diminish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s powers since the day the agency was created. Now, they’re on the brink of having one of their top demands granted: an end to the regulator’s public database of complaints about their products and services. Since 2011, the bureau has maintained an open, searchable record of more than one million consumer reports about inaccurate debt collections, illegal fees, improper overdraft charges, mistakes on loans and other problems. ...

“Mick Mulvaney, the bureau’s acting director, hinted Tuesday that he would like to end that public access. ‘I don’t see anything in here that says I have to run a Yelp for financial services sponsored by the federal government,’ he said at a banking industry conference in Washington. ... Consumer groups argue that taking the database offline would neuter one of its core purposes: pushing companies to take complaints more seriously. The move would also prevent outsiders, including academic researchers, from using its data.” https://nyti.ms/2HuidjK

THE JUICE …

-- ANDREW SHULT is joining Vice President Mike Pence’s communications office as digital director. He was Steve Scalise’s digital coordinator, and he’s an alumnus of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

-- @ZackFinkNews: “NEW: @Lis_Smith had been hired by Cuomo 2018 and The State Democratic Party to do rapid response. Lis is a close friend of @melissadderosa”.

THE PRESIDENT has one thing on his schedule today: he’s delivering remarks at the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride at 10:30 a.m.

HAPPENING TODAY -- VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE is joining Indian IT company Infosys in Indianapolis at 1:15 p.m. today for a major economic development announcement. Infosys announced last May a campaign to hire 10,000 Americans over the next two years, including 2,000 in Indiana. Pence will be joined at the event by Labor Secretary ALEX ACOSTA and Indiana Gov. ERIC HOLCOMB. Ravi Kumar, president and deputy COO of Infosys, will also speak. The IndyStar on the announcementhttps://indy.st/2HOSPIT … Livestreamhttp://bit.ly/2JvALkp

Playbook Reads

HARASSMENT FILES … “The Center For American Progress Staff Was Shocked After Neera Tanden Named The Anonymous Harassment Victim In An All-Staff Meeting,” by BuzzFeed’s Sarah Mimms: “Two days after BuzzFeed News unveiled allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation at one of the nation’s top liberal think tanks, the Center for American Progress’s president, Neera Tanden, met with staff to restore confidence in the organization’s ability to handle the issue and ensure that employees feel safe. But during the meeting Wednesday afternoon, Tanden named the anonymous victim at the center that story -- a revelation that a CAP spokesperson said was unintentional -- and what began as a tense meeting became what three staffers in the room described as a textbook example of the organization’s failures to appropriately handle sexual harassment cases.

“‘There is literally one thing you cannot do in this meeting and that is out the victim and Neera did it multiple times...It also destroys whatever small level of confidence in the system remained,’ one CAP employee who was in the room said in a text to BuzzFeed News. ...

“In a statement to BuzzFeed News, a CAP spokesperson said that Tanden ‘unintentionally said the complainant’s first name in the meeting today, and immediately and profusely apologized for it.’ ‘She feels awful that it happened and that the victim’s negative experience was compounded; she also expressed that the victim’s actions in coming forward were courageous. Neera’s horror was very evident in the meeting,’ the spokesperson said.” https://bzfd.it/2qZvtGS …BuzzFeed’s original story on harassment at CAP https://bzfd.it/2HvQgMo

SPY GAMES -- “Behind a Roadside Hit in Malaysia, Israeli-Palestinian Intrigue,” by NYT’s Hannah Beech in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Ronen Bergman in Lima, Peru: “Fadi al-Batsh ... always had a smile for his friends and students in the seven years since he moved to Malaysia from his native Gaza.On Saturday, as he walked outside his apartment building in suburban Kuala Lumpur, he was gunned down in a hail of at least 14 bullets by two men on a motorcycle. It was the Palestinian man’s undercover job -- as what intelligence officials described as a technology expert for the military wing of the Gaza-based Hamas movement -- that had put him in the cross hairs.

“Malaysian officials said the attackers were ‘most likely born in the Middle East or in the West’ but would not directly say who they thought was behind the killing. Mr. Batsh’s family blamed Mossad, the Israeli spy agency. That claim has been confirmed by Middle Eastern intelligence officials, who said the killing was part of a broader operation ordered by the Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, to dismantle a Hamas project that sends Gaza’s most promising scientists and engineers overseas to gather know-how and weaponry to fight Israel.” https://nyti.ms/2FizdaP

MEDIAWATCH -- “Tina Brown wants no part of Charlie Rose’s #MeToo redemption series,” by N.Y. Post’s Ian Mohr: “Disgraced CBS anchor Charlie Rose is being slated to star in a show where he’ll interview other high-profile men who have also been toppled by #MeToo scandals.The move was revealed by editor, writer and women’s advocate Tina Brown, who confirmed to Page Six that she was recently approached to produce a #MeToo atonement series starring Rose, who would interview others embroiled in sexual harassment scandals. ...Said a source: ‘Tina said she’d just been e-mailed about co-hosting a new show with Charlie Rose, in which they’d interview Louis C.K., Matt Lauer’ and others caught up in the #MeToo sexual harassment scandals.Brown explained to the group that she was having none of it, and remarked, ‘These guys are already planning their comebacks!’” https://pge.sx/2HyfDti

TRANSITION -- Randy DeValk is joining the Glover Park Group’s government relations practice as a managing director. He served six years in the Obama administration as a counselor to the WH office of legislative affairs and as a counselor to Treasury Secretaries Tim Geithner and Jack Lew.

REMEMBERING PETE PETERSON – Pool report: “There was an tribute to the life of former Nixon Commerce Secretary, Blackstone founder, and national debt fighting icon Pete Peterson [Wednesday] at the Riverside Church in New York City ... Speakers included Bill Clinton, Henry Kissinger, Diane Sawyer, Leslie Gelb, and Peterson Foundation CEO Michael Peterson. Attendees included titans of industry and politics and culture including Steve Schwarzman, Paul Volcker, Hank Greenberg, Peggy Noonan, Bob Rubin, George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth.”

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Ryan Donovan, chief advocacy officer at the Credit Union National Association. A fun fact about Ryan: “When I was in high school, I was a leader of an on-line effort to keep the Internet provider, Prodigy, from charging $.25 per email sent through their system. They eventually backed down. So, I helped keep email free.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: https://politi.co/2vM5dVc

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